Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

WHO: André Watts with The Austin Symphony Orchestra
WHEN: March 14 & 15, 2008 - 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Riverbend Centre
TICKETS:$19 - $42
CONTACT: Don Hill, Director of Public Relations - 476-6064 x 213

WORLD-ACCLAIMED PIANIST RETURNS TO ASO STAGE

Season Sponsor: JPMorgan Chase
Concert Sponsor: Freescale Semiconductor and Sematech
Media Sponsors: Time Warner Cable/News 8 Austin, Austin American-Statesman and Majic 95.5 FM

"A formidable technical arsenal, a still more-powerful intellect." - The Washington Post

Austin audiences are “Continuing the Journey” through the Austin Symphony’s 97th concert season on March 14 & 15 at Riverbend Centre. Maestro Peter Bay joins the ASO in welcoming the return of pianist André Watts in an evening of music by French composers. Freescale Semiconductor and Sematech proudly sponsor this concert.

PROGRAM
Francaix – L’Horloge de Flore (The Flower Clock)
Roussel – Suite in F
Saint-Saëns – Concerto No. 2 in G Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 22
Debussy – La Mer (The Sea)

Maestro Peter Bay opens this all-French concert with two chamber pieces, L’Horloge de Flore (The Flower Clock) by 20th-century French composer Jean Francaix, and Albert Roussel’s Suite in F. Francaix drew on the neo-Classic sounds he heard as he came of age. L’Horloge de Flore offers a good example of his style at its most accessible. This piece will feature ASO principal oboist Beth Sanders. To conclude the first half of the concert, Maestro Bay welcomes pianist André Watts to center stage for a performance of Camille Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2.

André Watts burst upon the music world at the age of 16 when Leonard Bernstein chose him to make his debut with the New York Philharmonic in their Young People's Concerts, broadcast nationwide on CBS-TV. Only two weeks later, Bernstein asked him to substitute at the last minute for the ailing Glenn Gould in performances of Liszt's E-flat Concerto with the New York Philharmonic, thus launching his career in storybook fashion. More than 45 years later, André Watts remains one of today's most celebrated and beloved superstars. His performances each year with the world's great orchestras and conductors and his sold-out recitals and appearances at the most prestigious international festivals bring him to every corner of the globe.

After a short intermission, Maestro Bay returns to continue the ASO’s evening of French music with a performance of La Mer (The Sea) by Claude Debussy. Debussy was a widespread influence over later generations of composers, both in his native France and elsewhere. The three symphonic sketches that make up La Mer offer evocations of the sea from dawn to midday, of the waves and of the dialogue of wind and sea.

Concert goers can enjoy “Concert Conversations” with Bob Buckalew at 7:10 p.m. in the concert hall. These discussions provide an in-depth look at the composers and works being performed, including commentary on the social climate in which they were composed.

Performances for André Watts with the Austin Symphony are March 14 & 15, 8:00 p.m. at Riverbend Centre. Tickets range from $19 to $42. Student Rush tickets are also available 20 minutes prior to performance for $5 cash and current student ID. Charge tickets online at www.austinsymphony.org where you will find interactive seating maps, price options and a wealth of concert information. Tickets are also available at the Austin Symphony Box Office, 11th and Red River or call 476-6064 or 1-888-4-MAESTRO (toll-free).